Regions Of Sudan Research Articles

Nomograph for Predicting Swelling Potential of Expansive Subgrade Soil

This paper investigates empirical correlation between expansive soil index properties and soil swelling. The paper uses the concept of Nomographs to develop one for prediction of soil swelling. Disturbed soil samples from different regions in Sudan were collected to represent the most challenging soils in the country. The samples were collected from Al-Qadarif (S1), Wad Medani (S2) and Al-Giraif East in Khartoum (S3). The basic properties of the soil samples were thoroughly measured. The three soils gave high swelling potential and high plasticity. The X-ray diffraction test results showed that S1 has the highest montmorillonite than the other two soils. Therefore S1 is considered as the most expansive soil compared with the other soils. The consistency factor which was developed can be used to correlate the basic properties of the soil with the soil swelling. The consistency factor is a combination of the moisture content, dry density, void ratio, liquid limit and plasticity index. These parameters are combined in a way reflecting the influence of each of them on the soil property. The swelling properties were measured for the soil samples compacted at different moisture content and different dry densities. Very good linear relationships were developed between the swelling properties and the consistency factor. The correlations developed were verified by using data reported by some previous researchers. Using the relationships developed in this study, Nomograph was designed so as to make easy to predict swelling potential.

Unearthing unknown archaeological sites in the Attab to Ferka region in Sudan: the 2022 season of the DiverseNile project

Unearthing unknown archaeological sites in the Attab to Ferka region in Sudan: the 2022 season of the DiverseNile project The multidisciplinary ERC Consolidator Grant project DiverseNile explores a crucial part of northern Sudan as a case study to reconstruct Bronze Age biographies (c. 1750–1200 BCE) beyond the present cultural categories ‘Egyptian’ and ‘Nubian’. The main hypothesis that is addressed by interdisciplinary methods is that degrees of cultural diversity become archaeologically more visible in the peripheral zones of urban sites.

West Nile Virus Seroprevalence and Cross-Neutralization in Sera from Eastern and Central Sudan

Objectives: In regions with co-existing flaviviruses, the diagnosis of previous West Nile virus (WNV) infections is challenging due to cross-reacting antibodies. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of previous WNV infections in sera from three Sudanese states by excluding potentially dengue virus (DENV) and ZIKV cross-reacting sera and to determine the percentage of WNV cross-neutralizing sera from individuals with previous DENV infection. Methods: Serum samples from Kassala, North Kordofan, and Red Sea state were screened for antibodies against DENV by ELISA. Sera without DENV antibodies (N = 106) and a matched set of sera with DENV antibodies (N = 108) was selected. In all blood samples the frequency of WNV-neutralizing antibodies and the antibody titers were measured with microplate neutralization assays. DENV and Zika virus (ZIKV) microplate neutralization assays were performed with all WNV neutralizing sera of the DENV negative group. Results: A fraction of 30.2% of the DENV antibody negative sera neutralized WNV. The seroprevalence increased with age from 9.5% to 41.7%. Men and women were equally affected. The percentage of DENV positive sera that neutralized WNV was 83.3%. DENV positive sera had higher WNV neutralization titers than DENV negative sera. Conclusions: A significant fraction of the DENV antibody negative sera from three regions in Sudan showed serologic evidence of previous WNV infection. In comparison, the large majority of DENV antibody positive sera had WNV neutralizing antibodies. Studies are needed to identify clinical cases of WNV infection and to determine whether individuals with cross-neutralizing antibodies are protected from WNV disease.

Misconceptions and associated factors of COVID-19 infection among internally displaced persons in Sudan.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health threat that has spread rapidly and caused morbidity and mortality worldwide. Reducing the myths about infectious diseases is vital for controlling transmission. This study explored the level of misconceptions and associated factors of COVID-19 among internally displaced persons in Sudan. This study is a cross-sectional, descriptive design and community-based study. We collected the data using a self-administered questionnaire via the convenience sampling technique among internally displaced persons in the camps of Zalingei town in the central Darfur region of Sudan. The total mean score of the respondents’ misconception was 3.1725 (SD=0.59) with 63.2%, indicating moderate misunderstanding of COVID- 19. Multiple linear regression revealed the independent variables together had a significant impact on a misconception, F(14,116)=2.429, p<0.005. The regression model explains 22.7% of the variance in misunderstanding. Analysis of the influence of single factors on the dependent variable showed that people aged 31–40 years had significantly higher levels of misconception, 0.381 (t=2.116, p<0.037), than those aged over 60 years, and university graduates had considerably lower levels of misunderstanding, −0.061 (t=−2.091, p<0.03) than non-graduates. This study found a moderate level of misconception of COVID-19. Non-graduates had higher levels of misunderstanding than graduates. The results suggest that an education campaign should focus on people with low levels of education to correct their misconceptions regarding the prevention of COVID-19 infection.

Prevalence of human leishmaniasis in Sudan: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUNDThere are three main forms of leishmaniasis in humans: cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), visceral leishmaniasis (VL), and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. The prevalence of human leishmaniasis varies widely in different countries and different regions of the same country. To date, there is no overall estimation of the prevalence of human leishmaniasis in Sudan.AIMTo determine the pooled prevalence of human leishmaniasis and the disease risk factors among Sudanese citizens.METHODSFrom all articles written in English or Arabic languages conducted before the 4th of August 2021 from [Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and MEDLINE, African Journals Online (AJOL), ResearchGate, direct Google search, Google Scholar, and universities websites], just 20 articles with a total of 230960 participants were eligible for this study. Data synthesis and analysis were done using STATA software, version 16. EndNote citation manager version X9.3.3 and Reference Citation Analysis (RCA) were used to remove the duplicated studies and manage the citation respectively. RESULTSThe overall pooled prevalence of human leishmaniasis in Sudan was 21% (with confidence interval 12%-30%). CL was the most common type of leishmaniasis in Sudan, with a pooled prevalence of 26% followed by VL (18%). Nevertheless, the pooled prevalence of human leishmaniasis in Sudan was higher in males compared with females (60% vs 40%). The current results revealed that the people in the age group between 15 and 44 were the most affected group (60%), and central Sudan has the highest pooled prevalence of human leishmaniasis (27%) compared with other regions of Sudan. Finally, the prevalence of human leishmaniasis seems to decrease with time.CONCLUSIONThis study showed that human leishmaniasis infection is still endemic in many regions in Sudan and highly prevalent in central and eastern Sudan, and CL is the most prevalent in the country. Males and adults were more susceptible to infection compared with females and children. However, the human leishmaniasis prevalence decreased relatively over time.

Yellow Fever Outbreak in Darfur Region-Sudan 2012, a Response to Health Crisis

Yellow fever is highly infectious diseases and infect human through the bite of mosquitoes. So, yellow fever needs more efforts to control its transmission in both human and mosquitoes. Sudan is a limited resource and finds difficulties in controlling emerging diseases. This paper explains the situation during a yellow outbreak in the Darfur region, where long lasting conflict was occurring. This conflict is affected on the health system and it was become unable to detect infectious diseases at earlier stages. Also, we discussed the efforts that were made by world community towards controlling this disease.&#x0D; In November 2012, Yellow fever outbreak has been reported in the Darfur region in Sudan. The Yellow fever disease outbreak affected 35 localities in four out of five states that comprise the Darfur region December 2012. According to the ministry of Health, 849 people have been infected and 171 (4.96%) died due to this outbreak. The objective is to study the response of different partners in controlling yellow fever outbreak in the Darfur region in Sudan. This is descriptive study, reviews the information regarding yellow fever, and collected data from different sources. Response to this outbreak was made by contribution from different sectors including the federal ministry of health and the international community. Health authorities provided the technical and partial financial assistances to stop disease spread, while the international community, representing in United Nation agencies and NGOs was provided the essential funding to vaccinate population in the Darfur region. Long lasting conflict in countries with limited resources weakened the health system and makes the surveillance unable to detect disease outbreak. Diseases outbreak such as yellow fever need rapid response in order to diagnose and control the disease. Yellow fever outbreak needs contribution of all sectors to control it.

Modelling and analysis of an 80-MW parabolic trough concentrated solar power plant in Sudan

Abstract Concentrated solar power plants can play a significant role in alleviating Sudan’s energy crisis. These plants can be established and implemented in Sudan, as their potential is considerably high due to the climate conditions in Sudan. This study investigates the design of a parabolic trough concentrated solar power plant in Sudan and analyzes its technical and economic feasibility. The simulation of the plant’s model used System Advisor Model (SAM) software. To determine the best location for the construction of the plant, data from 15 cities in Sudan were compared with each other based on their solar radiation and land properties. Wadi Halfa, a city in the northern region of Sudan, was chosen as the location due to its good topographical properties and climate conditions. The results show that the proposed plant can generate 281.145 GWh of electricity annually with a capacity factor of 40.1% and an overall efficiency of 15%. Additionally, a simple cost analysis of the plant indicates a levelized cost of electricity of 0.155 $/kWh. As the study results are consistent with the characteristics of similar plants, the proposed plant is considered technically and economically feasible under the conditions at its location.

Face Mask Practice and Technique During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nonrepresentative Cross-Sectional Study in Sudan.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization issued guidelines for face mask use in community settings during the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, data are limited on public compliance with those guidelines in Sudan. Therefore, this study assessed face mask-wearing practice and technique during the COVID-19 pandemic among residents of Sudan.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September 2021 among Sudanese aged ≥18 years. A web-based questionnaire was shared through different social media platforms. Personal characteristics, four knowledge-associated items, three attitude-associated items, one item concerning mask-wearing practice, and five items related to mask-wearing technique were determined. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were performed using STATA v17.ResultsThe survey included 1059 participants (48% males, 52% females) from different regions of Sudan. The overall mean ± SD was 3 ± 0.73 for knowledge of COVID-19 transmission; 2.3 ± 0.71 for attitude toward wearing face masks; 0.38 ± 0.49 for the practice of wearing a face mask; and 4.17 ± 0.97 for face mask-wearing technique. Approximately one-third (38%) of participants always wore a face mask during the pandemic, with age, sex, education level, family income, face mask attitude, occupation, and history of COVID-19 infection affecting the practice. All steps of face mask-wearing technique were performed by 46% of participants (59% performed hand hygiene before putting on a mask and 86% after removing it; 98% covered mouth and nose; 90% adjusted masks at the nose bridge, and 84% tied masks securely), and associated with age, occupation, family income, history of COVID-19 infection, and face-mask attitude.ConclusionAlthough knowledge and attitude were relatively good, the practice of wearing a face mask and using proper techniques among participants were low. To ensure optimal face mask use and proper mask-wearing techniques, educational intervention and establishing governmental regulations are highly recommended.

Blood meal profile and positivity rate with malaria parasites among different malaria vectors in Sudan

BackgroundMalaria is a life-threatening public health problem globally with particularly heavy burden in the sub-Saharan Africa including Sudan. The understanding of feeding preference of malaria vectors on different hosts is a major challenge for hindering the transmission cycle of malaria. In this study, blood meals taken by blood-fed Anopheles mosquitoes collected from the field in malaria endemic areas of Sudan were analysed for source of blood meal and malaria parasite presence.MethodsAnopheles mosquitoes were collected from different regions in Sudan: Khartoum state, Sennar state, Northern state, and El Gedarif state between September 2020 and February 2021. Anopheles mosquitoes were collected using the standard pyrethrum spray catch and back-pack aspirator. Mosquito samples were sorted and morphologically identified to species level using international identification keys. Morphologically identified mosquito species were also confirmed using PCR. Genomic DNA was extracted from mosquitoes for molecular identification of blood meal source and parasite detection. The presence of Plasmodium species DNA in each mosquito sample was investigated using semi-nested PCR. Frequency of each blood meal source, Anopheles mosquito vector, and malaria parasite detected was calculated. Positivity rate of each fed female Anopheles mosquito was calculated for each species.ResultsA total of 2132 Anopheles mosquitoes were collected. 571 (26.8%) were males and 1561 (73.2%) were females classified based on their abdominal status into 1048 (67.1%) gravid, 274 (17.6%) fed, and 239 (15.3%) unfed females. Among the blood fed Anopheles mosquitoes, 263 (96.0%) were morphologically identified and confirmed using PCR to Anopheles arabiensis, 9 (3.3%) to Anopheles stephensi, and 2 (0.7%) to Anopheles rufipes. Of 274 blood-fed An. arabiensis, 68 (25.9%) fed on mixed blood meals from human and cattle, 8 (3.0%) fed on cattle and goat, and 13 (4.8%) fed on human, cattle and goat. For single blood meal sources, 70 (26.6%) fed on human, 95 (36.1%) fed on cattle, 8 (3.0%) fed on goat, and 1 (0.4%) fed on dog. While An. rufipes and An. stephensi fed on dog (2; 0.75%) and cattle (9; 3.3%), respectively. Plasmodium parasite detection in the blood meals showed that 25/274 (9.1%) An. arabiensis meals were positive for Plasmodium vivax and 19/274 (6.9%) An. arabiensis meals were positive for Plasmodium falciparum. The rate of positivity of An. arabiensis with any Plasmodium species was 16.7%. However, the positivity rate with P. falciparum only was 7.2%, while P. vivax was 9.5%. Both An. rufipes and An. stephensi were having positivity rates of 0.0% each.ConclusionsThis study which was mainly on blood-fed Anopheles mosquitoes showed a diversity in the type of diet from human, cattle, and goat. Anopheles mosquitoes especially An. arabiensis in Sudan, are opportunistic blood feeders and can feed broadly on both human and cattle. The application of blood meal identification is not only important in malaria vector epidemiological surveillance but also is very useful in areas where arthropods exhibit zoophilic feeding behaviour for mammals.

Grain size analysis of the latest Quaternary Kordofan Sand of Central Sudan: Depositional environment and mode of transportation

Grain size analysis is a powerful tool for determining the depositional environment. Grain size analysis for 48 samples from four sections along a 280 km long, nearly north–south-trending transect, has been conducted in the mainly Holocene Kordofan Sand in the Kordofan Region of Central Sudan. In these sections, this part of the Kordofan Sand comprises three pedosedimentary sequences. The lower sequence (∼13–10 kyr) has been pedogenized during the African Humid Period and ends up farther West with lacustrine or palustrine carbonates. The middle sequence (∼6–3 kyr) is represented by sand with low degree of pedogenesis and corresponds to the African Humid Period. The upper sequence was deposited after a hiatus lasting from ∼3.3 to 1.1 ka BP, and constitutes the present-day surficial deposits, showing little or no pedogenesis. Spatial grain size distribution and mode of transport show a southward fining trend, indicating that the sandy sediments were transported from north to south. This interpretation is supported by the results of mean grain size – sorting, and sorting – skewness interrelations, which provided a linear relationship. Vertical variation in grain size distribution in the studied sections shows variable energy over time in the north and constant, low energy in the south. The dominance of saltation as a transport mode confirms that the studied sediments were deposited in aeolian environment. The low sorting degree, the presence of coarse grains, and the still active transverse dunes and barchans in the North, indicate that the Late Pleistocene part of the Kordofan Sandstone is submitted to reworking until now. Consequently, the mainly Holocene sand sequences were fed both by distal, fine-grained Saharan material and by proximal, coarser-grained sand proceeding from the Late Pleistocene aeolian dunes.

The measurement of war-related trauma amongst internally displaced men and women in South Sudan: Psychometric analysis of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire

BackgroundStudies from armed conflict settings, including South Sudan, have revealed the deleterious mental health impact of exposure to war atrocities. However, there is little consensus on what is meant by war trauma, how it should be measured, and how levels of trauma vary across men and women. MethodsWe used psychometric analyses to measure war trauma among 1178 internally displaced adults (mean age = 39 years, 50% women) in the Malakal region of South Sudan. We used cross-sectional survey data and applied classical test theory, factor analysis, item response theory, and differential item functioning with the war events subscale (17 items) of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ). ResultsWe found good validity and internal consistency reliability for the HTQ. We found evidence for unidimensionality using factor analyses, and item response theory models showed that some war events (like witnessing the killing of family or friends) were more sensitive to the underlying ‘war-related trauma’ trait than others (like abduction). Differential item functioning analyses revealed that the measure performed differently for men and women, indicating the need for sex-stratified analysis in the measurement of trauma. LimitationsThe use of self-report may lead to recall and response bias, and the study sample may not be representative of the broader population in South Sudan. ConclusionThis study emphasizes the need for cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of commonly used measurement instruments, especially in humanitarian settings where survey data are used to set priorities for mental health and psychosocial support services.

High-temperature indicators for capturing the impacts of heat stress on yield: lessons learned from irrigated wheat in the hot and dry environment of Sudan

High temperatures occurring during flowering and early grain filling substantially decrease cereal yields. Drawing on accumulated evidence showing that, compared to air temperature (Ta), crop canopy temperature (Tc) better explains observed yield reductions caused by heat stress, we evaluated the usefulness of Tc versus Ta in designing high-temperature indicators for agrometeorological services, including crop monitoring and forecasting. The hot and dry environment of Sudan provides an ideal testbed. Tc was derived from the combined simulation of a crop model and a land surface model. Based on regressions linking the high-temperature indicators with irrigated wheat yield variations in 3 regions of Sudan over the last half-century, we found that using phenological periods rather than months for the wheat season (November to February), and using Tc rather than Ta, more effectively tracks the adverse effects of high temperature on yield during the key periods. The Tc-based indicators calculated for the key phenological periods have more robust multi-region applicability than the Ta-based indicators calculated for months and season, although they do not necessarily outperform the region-specific indicators in terms of explanatory power. We determined that the key periods were the vegetative growth period for the relatively cool region, and the reproductive growth period for the relatively hot regions. These findings suggest that agrometeorological services at the national and global levels should adopt Tc-based indicators, which will ultimately help players in global food systems adapt to climate change by preparing for wheat supply disruptions due to high-temperature extremes.

Seroprevalence of Rubella Virus among Pregnant Women in the Red Sea Region of Sudan

Aims: We aimed to investigate the occurrence of the rubella virus among pregnant women, including those who had a history of abortions in the Red Sea region of Sudan.&#x0D; Study design: Cross-sectional study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Port Sudan referral tertiary hospital.&#x0D; Methodology: Blood samples were collected at random from 100 participants who were pregnant or had a history of abortion and who were referred to the hospital. Side flow chromatography immunoassay was used for detection, and the Elisa technique was used for confirmation.&#x0D; Results: From a total of 100 participants, rubella virus Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was detected in 20 (20%), and 80 were seronegative (80%). The seronegative Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was 0 (00.0%), with no participant had a recent infection. The prevalence of 11 rubella virus IgG was significantly high (P = .003) among the females who had abortions 61 (61%). However, no statistically significant relationship was found with the frequency of IgG of rubella virus and age, gestational age, level of education, or occupation.&#x0D; Conclusion: The study concluded that the prevalence of rubella infections was higher among pregnant females and who had a history of abortions in the Red Sea region. The detection of human rubella virus IgG previous infection was higher than IgG recent infection.

Prevalence and Socio-Economic Incidence of Bovine Tuberculosis in a Slaughter Area in the Northern Sudan Region of Burkina Faso

Prevalence and Socio-Economic Incidence of Bovine Tuberculosis in a Slaughter Area in the Northern Sudan Region of Burkina Faso

AVAILABILITY AND COMPARISON OF DATA FROM SENTINEL-1 SATELLITES IN AREAS OF INTEREST IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND SUDAN

The article is focused on the methodology of processing interferometric images and associated challenges with the processing. The article also contains useful links with explanations that can be used for processing data from the Sentinel-1 satellite. To emphasize the data limits of Sentinel-1, several areas of interest were chosen for comparison – in the home environment of the Czech Republic, the Bílina quarry area, and the Žatec area were selected. For subsequent comparison, arid areas with a rich history located in Sudan were selected. The colleagues of the author from the Faculty of The Environment of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University participate in expeditions there. Each of these locations is limited by different parameters – the areas in the Czech Republic are mainly limited by location because of occurring vegetation. Sudan's regions, on the other hand, are arid but are limited by insufficient coverage by capturing the Sentinel-1 satellite. To create digital height models from Sentinel-1 satellite data, it is necessary to search for data with sufficient coherence of images, and parameters of the amount of vegetation with a period between individual images play an important role. The areas were compared with each other and with the commonly available SRTM elevation model, both from a visual point of view – where digital height models and shaded surface models were created, as well as statistically using RMSE.

Population Genetic Analysis and Sub-Structuring of Theileria annulata in Sudan

Theileria annulata, which causes tropical theileriosis, is a major impediment to improving cattle production in Sudan. Tropical theileriosis disease is prevalent in the north and central regions of Sudan. Outbreaks of the disease have been observed outside the known endemic areas, in east and west regions of the country, due to changes in tick vector distribution and animal movement. A live schizont attenuated vaccination based on tissue culture technology has been developed to control the disease. The parasite in the field as well as the vaccine strain need to be genotyped before the vaccinations are practiced, in order to be able to monitor any breakthrough or breakdown, if any, after the deployment of the vaccine in the field. Nine microsatellite markers were used to genotype 246 field samples positive for T. annulata DNA and the vaccine strain. North and central populations have a higher multiplicity of infection than east and west populations. The examination of principal components showed two sub-structures with a mix of all four populations in both clusters and the vaccine strain used being aligned with left-lower cluster. Only the north population was in linkage equilibrium, while the other populations were in linkage disequilibrium, and linkage equilibrium was found when all samples were regarded as single population. The genetic identity of the vaccine and field samples was 0.62 with the north population and 0.39 with west population. Overall, genetic investigations of four T. annulata populations in Sudan revealed substantial intermixing, with only two groups exhibiting regional origin independence. In the four geographically distant regions analyzed, there was a high level of genetic variation within each population. The findings show that the live schizont attenuated vaccine, Atbara strain may be acceptable for use in all Sudanese regions where tropical theileriosis occurs.

Exploring Challenges to COVID-19 Vaccination in the Darfur Region of Sudan.

ABSTRACT.The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected the ability of health systems to provide essential services globally. The Darfur region, located in the western part of Sudan, has been largely devastated by the war that began in 2003 and has been drawing considerable attention from the international community. The war, which erupted as a result of environmental, political, and economic factors, has led to tragic outcomes. Collapsing health-care infrastructures, health workforce shortages, lack of storage facilities for medicines and medical products, and inadequate access to health services are some of the effects of the war. After Sudan received the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access facility, significant challenges have been implicated in the delivery, storage, and use of the vaccine in the Darfur region. Lack of vaccine storage and transportation facilities, vaccination hesitancy, inequity in the distribution to health facilities, and shortage of health-care professionals resulting from insecurity and instability have added an extra layer of burden on local authorities and their ability to manage COVID-19 vaccinations in the region adequately. Addressing the impact of COVID-19 requires an effectively managed vaccination program. In the face of current challenges in Darfur, ensuring a fully vaccinated population might remain far-fetched and improbable if meaningful efforts are not put in place by all stakeholders and actors to address some of the challenges identified.

Assessment of Genetic Variability among Onion (Allium cepa L.) Cultivars using RAPD and SRAP Molecular Markers

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops worldwide, however, limited studies are available on genetic variability of onion resources. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of twelve onion cultivars which are widely grown in different regions of Sudan, using RAPD and SRAP markers. A total of 32 RAPD and 21 SRAP primers were screened. To assess variability, the data generated were used to group the cultivars using Jaccard’s coefficient of similarity. Only 20, out oftested RAPD primers were producible and showed 326 different-sized DNA fragments with one or more of the tested cultivars giving an average of 27.17 alleles per cultivar. Hundred percent polymorphism was recorded for each of the primers tested with high polymorphism information content (PIC) ranging from 0.89 to 1.00. In SRAP analysis, 8 out of 21 primer pairs tested,produced bands of different sizes. A total of 66 DNA fragments were detected for the 12 cultivars with an average of 5.5 alleles per cultivar. The number of different fragments generated by each primer ranged from one to eight and 100 percent polymorphism was recorded for each of the primers tested with high PIC of approximately 1.00. Similarity matrices constructedusing RAPD, SRAP or the combined data suggested a relatively high level of genetic diversity among the 12 onion cultivars, the most diverse cultivars were Shendi yellow and Baftaim red hybrid with 14 % similarity. The study revealed that although both molecular markers used were efficient in elucidating genetic diversity among the tested onion cultivars, SRAP markerswere the most potential and could be used as an integrated approach in onion breeding programmes.

Summer monsoon rainfall variations and its association with atmospheric circulations over Sudan

This work investigates the factors influencing summer (June–September: JJAS) monsoon rainfall variability over Sudan using monthly datasets from multiple sources from 1980 to 2018. Sequential Mann-Kendall, Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF), composite and correlation analysis were utilized to investigate the spatio-temporal rainfall variability in Sudan, and its associated circulations and teleconnections. Results revealed a significant increase in JJAS rainfall during the study period. The wet condition was found with accompanying convergence winds at low levels and divergence in the upper levels, while the dry conditions were due to the weakening of convergence moisture transport. A hot Sea Surface Temperature anomalies over the Eastern Pacific Ocean (Nino3.4) are associated with dry conditions,whilst cold anomalies are associated with wet conditions. There was correlation between the first EOFs JJAS rainfall and EOFs SSTs teleconnections NINO3.4. IOD, PDO, and NAO, exhibited moderate to strong positive correlations of 62.5% in average. However, the second mode of SSTs teleconnections EOFS revealed a low positive correlation of 46.4% in average, excluding the strong negative impact of NINO3.4–73%. In different regions in Sudan, the influences of NINO3.4 are much stronger in the south, west and central regions (0.71, −0.71 and −0.72). And IOD exhibited much impact in the south and west regions (0.73, 0.74). The southern and western regions had the highest correlation with PDO and NAO. ENSO and IOD also tend to extend summer rainfall season. Therefore, this research serves as the baseline study for further work to examine the impact of SSTs teleconnections on summer rainfall in Sudan (starting, cessation and extremes), thereby providing a reasonable basis for monitoring and predicting similar conditions in the future.

Morphology of argument marking in Zaghawa-Wagi

This paper presents an analysis of the system of argument marking on the verb in Zaghawa. Zaghawa, also called Beria in the literature, is a Saharan language of the Nilo-Saharan language phylum spoken in the border region of Sudan and Chad. Like other Saharan languages, it has complex verbal morphology including person indexing. The primary aim of the study is descriptive in that it presents linguistic data of the underdescribed Wagi dialect which is mainly spoken in Sudan. First, the paradigm of bound verbal affixes and their morphology is described. Secondly, one of the functions of the final morpheme of the verb which has not yet been described in detail in previous studies on Zaghawa is analysed. This final morpheme interacts with the person indexes to mark plural participants, and it is exploited to mark a morphological category not yet recognized in the other dialects of Zaghawa: the exclusive/inclusive distinction in the 1st person plural. Therefore, the study provides new data on the Zaghawa verb system and contributes a further detail to our knowledge of the Nilo-Saharan language family.